Oissian Conquest of 1867
The Oissian Conquest was an expedition that was meant to "Survey, Secure, and Sustain" northeast Parvia. Captain William Lewis Maury landed off the coast of Parvia in November of 1867, captaining the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Independence_(1814) USS Independence.]'' In an effort to appeal to local foreign nations, Brigadier General Joseph Pierce was assigned to accompany Maury as a military attaché and was placed in command of just over 800 volunteer soldiers, one of which was prominent Major Edward Day Cohota, Pierce's right-hand man. Their initial docking would turn the USS ''Independence into a receiving ship stationed in Union City, setting the foundation for the settlement itself. Early Plans Foreign Homestead Act Drafts for a Parvian Expedition began in October of 1866 after Republicans took over Reconstruction from President Andrew Johnson. Looking to prove himself once again in the political arena, he turned to Senator Lyman Trumbull of Illinois and friend and former Senator Hannibal Hamlin of Maine to draft a plan in regards to surveying the reported "dry and arid land, with nothing of note" in northeastern Parvia. On November 30th, 1967, Trumbull proposed the plan to send several ships accompanied by settlers, soldiers, and pioneers across the Pacific Ocean to explore northeast Parvia. The proposal was quickly voted on and rejected with a 40-60 vote in the Senate. Over the next few months, Johnson, Trumbull, and Hamlin worked together to rebrand and revise the expedition. Dubbed the "Foreign Homestead Act", they agreed on a volunteer force sent on an outdated or otherwise unused naval vessel, while also establishing a leader in foreign relations regarding the Pacific Theater. Johnson coined the slogan "Survey, Secure, and Sustain", a three point plan of action in Parvia. First, a proper scan of the geography and resources would be in order, with a report back to Washington. Then, with a go-ahead from Washington, soldiers would set up small camps for gathering resources and begin contact with the local peoples. This would lead to phase three, sustaining a presence in Parvia, with settlers moving in soon after. This plan was proposed in March 1867, passing 56-44. Immediately, requests were received from midshipmen from across the navy for transfer to the USS Independence. With the volunteers aboard, Captain William Maury set sail for Parvia in October 1867. Public Opinion The Oissian Conquest was highly popularized by Hannibal Hamlin, a popular senator from Maine. Hamlin campaigned throughout New England in the summer of 1867 for public support and approval regarding the Foreign Homestead Act, being careful to keep the unpopular President Johnson from the spotlight. Hamlin's rallies mainly took place near naval ports and forts, with some of his biggest turnouts being in Fort Norfolk and Naval Station Newport. Staunch opposition formed to criticize Johnson for abandoning his own country's Reconstruction efforts, being called a traitor and a coward. Leading the Opposition was Republican Thaddeus Stevens, well quoted as calling Johnson a "sick child", and even commenting on Hamlin's rallies: "...and we stand here today in the same city that a fool, a renegade, a double-crosser, and a backstabber lives and does business in. It is of my belief that this Foreign Homestead Act will not only drastically dampen Republican efforts to rebuild our southern states, but also have lasting effects on how those states operate in regards to the feckless proposals of Johnson and Hamlin. Sickening! How can we support such a heinous act, such a traitorous betrayal of our values?" - Representative Thaddeus Stevens on May 18th, 1867, leading to his suggestions of impeachment Still, the public generally thought very highly of the Foreign Homestead Act, reacting well to Hamlin's rallies. From midshipmen to former Union officers, requests began to be accepted for the new crew of the USS Independence, with its new mission promising excitement and adventure. British Permission By the 1850s, the British had set up a colony in southern Parvia led by Governor Elliot Douglas. Despite laying claim to all of Parvia, the United Kingdom did not have the resources to protect little more than the coasts of Parvia, stopping piracy and keeping peace. Johnson urged US Minister to the UK Charles Francis Adams to ask the British government for permission to settle in the northeast, with British Prime Minister Edward Smith-Stanley easily obliging, calling the Oissian Expanse a "dry and arid land, with nothing of note". Prime Minister Smith-Stanley sent a Letter of Permission to President Johnson, outlining the parameters for American occupation. This letter essentially gave the American military permission to explore these lands and to settle them until further notice. Beginning Operations Arrival The USS Independence arrived off the northeast coast of Parvia in November of 1867, carrying over 800 soldiers with ample supplies to sustain for three months. Expecting a possibly threatening winter, the men experienced agreeable weather during their first few months after arrival, building small encampments along the coast that would eventually become the colony's capitol, Union City. Carrying out orders as intended, Brigadier General Joseph Pierce moved into a leadership position over the colony, becoming Commandant of the Oissian Expedition. He sent two survey parties out into the territory: Major Edward Cohota traveled west with 82 men, while Colonel Richmond Temple traveled south with 54 men. Initial surveys indicated very little land suitable for growing crops, but potential for ore mining in the mountains to the west. This would eventually lead to various ores being the first chief export of the American colony in the Oissian Expanse. Trade Soon after arrival, Captain Maury dispatched a schooner to meet with British forces off the coast of Riverrock. Establishing an acknowledgement, British commerce vessels regularly began to sail along the coast to Union City to conduct trade with the new colony, Importantly providing many types of food, as well as cotton and gunpowder. Following the Alaska Purchase, the Russian-American Company moved its operations into Vladivostok, where it could properly trade with its new neighbors. A reorganization of the company set its sights on a potentially lucrative lumber trade with Union City, cheaply selling lumber to a very thankful American presence. In return, America exported vast amounts of iron, coal, and copper to Russia, and eventually to other interests as well, such as the United Kingdom, Qing China, and Dutch merchants.Category:Early Plans